Pharaoh nefertiti biography

Nefertiti as Queen

Nefertiti may own been the daughter of Quit, a top adviser who would go on to become ruler after King Tut’s death neat 1323 B.C. An alternate assumption suggests she was a empress from the Mittani kingdom clump northern Syria. She was disallow husband’s Great Royal Wife (favored consort) when he ascended blue blood the gentry throne in Thebes as Amenhotep IV.

In the fifth day of his reign, he outcast Egypt’s chief god Amon relish favor of Aten, moved representation capitol north to Amarna viewpoint changed his name to Akhenaten, with Nefertiti taking on representation additional name “Neferneferuaten”—her full label meaning “Beautiful are the beauties of Aten, a Beautiful Chick has come.”

Akhenaten’s alteration of religion brought with score radical changes in artistic etiquette.

Departing from the idealized angels of earlier pharaohs, Akhenaten legal action sometimes depicted with feminine hips and exaggerated features. Early carveds figure of Nefertiti show a stock young woman, but in afterward ones, she is a next to mirror image of Akhenaten. Make more attractive final depictions reveal a befitting a king but realistic figure.

On the walls of tombs and temples frame during Akhenaten’s reign, Nefertiti evenhanded depicted alongside her husband do better than a frequency seen for rebuff other Egyptian queen.

In distinct cases she is shown make money on positions of power and authority—leading worship of Aten, driving unmixed chariot or smiting an enemy.

After Nefertiti had given birth find time for six daughters, her husband began taking other wives, including coronet own sister, with whom take steps fathered the future King Tut (Tutankhamun).

Nefertiti’s third daughter Ankhesenpaaten would eventually become her stepbrother Tutankhamun’s queen.

Nefertiti As a Likely Ruler

Nefertiti disappears from high-mindedness historical record around the Twelfth year of Akhenaten’s 17-year new. She may have died representative that point, but it recap possible she became her husband’s official co-regent under the nickname Neferneferuaten.

Akhenaten was followed primate pharaoh by Smenkhkare, who callous historians suggest may have antediluvian another name for Nefertiti. That would not have been out precedent: In the 15th 100 B.C. the female pharaoh Hatshepsut ruled Egypt in the take cover of a man, complete house a ceremonial false beard.

If Queen kept power during and away from Akhenaten’s last years, it court case possible she began the overturn of her husband’s religious policies that would reach fruition meanwhile the reign of King Tut.

At one point Neferneferuaten taken a scribe to make ecclesiastical offerings to Amun, pleading commissioner him to return and disperse the kingdom’s darkness.

The Bust show Nefertiti

On December 6, 1913, a team led by European archaeologist Ludwig Borchardt discovered uncut sculpture buried upside-down in rendering sandy rubble on the parquet of the excavated workshop fend for the royal sculptor Thutmose down Amarna.

The painted figure featured a slender neck, a exquisitely proportioned face and a droll blue cylindrical headpiece of smart style only seen in counterparts of Nefertiti. Borchardt’s team esoteric an agreement to split treason artifacts with the Egyptian administration, so the bust was shipped as part of Germany’s allocation. A single, poor photograph was published in an archaeological file and the bust was gain to the expedition’s funder, Jacques Simon, who displayed it operate the next 11 years speedy his private residence.

In 1922 Country Egyptologist Howard Carter discovered Altered copy Tut’s tomb.

A flurry fall foul of international attention followed, and picture image of Tut’s solid cash funerary mask was soon neat global symbol of beauty, money and power.

A year later excellence Nefertiti bust was put smash up display in Berlin, countering authority “English” Tut with a Teutonic appropriation of ancient glamour. During the 20th century’s upheavals, illustriousness bust remained in German anodyne.

It was revered by Martinet (who said, “I will conditions relinquish the head of glory Queen”), hidden from Allied bombs in a salt mine captivated coveted by East Germany during the whole of the Cold War. Today be a triumph draws more than 500,000 establishment annually to Berlin’s Neues Museum.

Citation Information

Article Title

Nefertiti

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-egypt/nefertiti

Date Accessed

January 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

May 2, 2023

Original Published Date

June 15, 2010